An evening fire that led the Department of Energy to declare an emergency at the Savannah River National Laboratory near Aiken, S.C., was extinguished and the emergency alert lifted shortly before 10 p.m. Wednesday, DOE said.
The emergency alert was terminated at 9;45 p.m,, DOE said Wednesday night. There were no detectable levels of contamination, according to radiation surveys, according to the news release issued around 10 p.m.
The late night press release went on to say that roads leading into the Savannah River Site (SRS) were now unblocked and that workers at the 310-square mile federal site were expected to report to work on a normal schedule Thursday.
On Thursday afternoon, a DOE spokesperson at SRS said there was “no radiological release or employee exposure to radiological contamination. There is no risk to the public or the environment. An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. Safety remains DOE’s highest priority. “
Management “declared a site area emergency at 5:39 p.m.” Eastern Time, according to the one in a servies of news releases, issued after 5 p.m.
Meanwhile Savannah River Site Watch, and its director Tom Clements, a frequent critic of DOE and nuclear installations, said the Wednesday episode drives home risks articulated over time by the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB). For example an April 2023 letter to DOE raised questions about fire suppression equipment and administrative controls at the lab.
No contamination was outside the affected facility, according to an early news release. Entrances SRS closed as a precaution. “Rail, river, and air traffic in the vicinity of SRS is also being restricted. SRS officials are directing response efforts and have notified the appropriate state and local government agencies,” according to the early statement.
Locals were encouraged to tune in to local radio and television stations, for any updates, DOE said.
The laboratory is managed for DOE by the Battelle Savannah River Alliance.
On October 28, a fire occurred at Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). The fire was contained, with no radiological release or employee exposure to radiological contamination. There is no risk to the public or the environment. An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. Safety remains DOE’s highest priority.
